or if a PM can't follow when his/her collegue flies the aircraft as it was intended to (manually), then that person must ask serious questions wether a job on the ground isn't better suited for him/her.
If all the PM had to do was follow when his/her colleague flies the aircraft then I would see your and other posters' point.
However, in the modern cockpit, monitoring the handling pilot is simply one of many functions that the PM is required to complete.
As someone said earlier, when hand-flying, the handling pilot is expected according to most SOPs to request the PM to carry out most actions that do not involve the primary flight controls or throttles and especially ones that distract the pilot from their primary flight instruments.
During a busy departure, you can either have;
PM;
Makes all required radio calls
Tunes the next frequency
Sets and identifies the raw data to crosscheck the lnav
Sets the cleared level in the window
Sets the speed (requested y the handling pilot)
Sets the heading bug (requsted by the handling pilot)
updates the FMS with direct-to and removes no applicable level / speed restrictions etc
configuration changes when requested
maintaining the legally required lookout
and on top of that keeping a eye on the handling pilot
All while the handling pilot simply flies the aircraft
If on the other hand, the autopilot is used then
PM
Makes all required radio calls
Tunes the next frequency
Sets and identifies the raw data to crosscheck the Lnav
configuration changes when requested
maintaining the legally required lookout
and the Handling pilot
Sets the cleared level in the window
Sets the speed (requested y the handling pilot)
Sets the heading bug (requsted by the handling pilot)
updates the FMS with direct-to and removes no applicable level / speed restrictions etc
maintaining the legally required lookout
Aside from the fact that the workload is more balanced and both pilots can maintain a good lookout is there anyone who seriously thinks that the second case is not far better Crew Resource Management?
Regards,
DFC